A once buzzing seaside town that’s been named one of the worst in the UK is clawing at a comeback.
The Welsh seaside town of Rhyl was once a coastal resort of Victorian splendour, boasting a long, sandy beach and an ideal location off the A5 coast road of north Wales.
Its close proximity to Liverpool and Manchester made it a honeypot for day trippers from the north west of England while visitors from London got to enjoy its best bits due with the arrival of the railway in 1848.
Soon it boasted a 2,115ft long pier, an artificial boating lake, pleasure rides and miniature railway.
But last year it was deemed one of the UK’s worst, with the Telegraph placing it number 20 and giving it a measly 5/100 in its rundown of best and worst seaside towns, revealing it was once dubbed “Costa Del Dole” and “Blackpool after a neutron bomb”.
In its harsh analysis the national publication said the arrival of package holidays were the death knell for the town – with scores of tourists abandoning it for sunnier climes.
It said: “North Wales’ oldest pier was demolished in 1973, the domed Pavilion theatre was razed the following year.
“Efforts to make Rhyl a desirable destination – the Sun Centre in 1980, White Rose Shopping Centre in 1984, a museum and library complex in 1986 – have failed.”
It said that the resort’s funfair – The Ocean Beach – closed in 2007 and its Sky Tower ride was decommissioned.
It added: “No past, no arts or entertainment, no fun,”.
Barclays also closed its doors in the town earlier this year – joining an array of already empty units in the town centre.
Rhyl East Cllr Justine Evans told North Wales Live: “I was saddened to hear about the closure of Barclays in Rhyl which has been a prominent feature in the town for a great many years.
“All the staff at the branch have always been extremely helpful and my thoughts are with them at this time. Rhyl has lost many shops and cafes over the years and sadly there are already too many empty buildings in the town centre.”
One Tripadvisor user wrote took to the travel review site to talk about their experiences in Rhyl.
They said: “Got moved here in June and what a big mistake it was. Rhyl is such a dump it’s depressing. Would not advise visiting at all.”
But despite its negative reviews the town has new plans to reboot with nearly £25m being spent on the town centre to help improve it as part of the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns initiative. This includes improving and adapting underutilised commercial and residential property.